Imaging system and method for imaging objects with reduced image blur

Abstract

An imaging device is presented for use in an imaging system capable of improving the image quality. The imaging device has one or more optical systems defining an effective aperture of the imaging device. The imaging device comprises a lens system having an algebraic representation matrix of a diagonalized form defining a first Condition Number, and a phase encoder utility adapted to effect a second Condition Number of an algebraic representation matrix of the imaging device, smaller than said first Condition Number of the lens system.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising, an imaging system and a processor utility, the imaging system comprising:
 first and second lens systems having corresponding first and second numerical apertures and both directed for imaging of a common object plane, the second numerical aperture is smaller than the first numerical aperture; 
 an image detection unit for detecting light collected by the first and second lens systems and generating corresponding first and second image data pieces indicative of the object plane from a common direction; and 
 the processor utility is configured to:
 receive the first image data piece and the second image data piece that are collected with respect to the common object plane, and 
 process the first and second image data pieces to provide a reconstructed image of the field of view. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the processing of the first and second image data pieces includes:
 generating shifted data indicative of shifted duplications of the second image data piece with respect to the first image data piece, 
 determining combined image data corresponding to the first image data piece and the shifted data, and 
 generating reconstructed image data based on the combined image data. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second lens systems have parallel optical axes being spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the image detection unit comprises a common light detector array configured for collecting image data associated with the first and second image data pieces. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the image detection unit comprises first and second light detectors associated with the first and second lens systems. 
     
     
       6. The system  claim 1 , wherein the first and second lens systems are configured to operate concurrently. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second lens system comprises a plurality of separate lenses with shifted fields of view enabling together light collection from a field of view at least partially similar to that of the first lens system. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , configured as a hand held camera unit. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , configured as a smartphone device.